NYT: Weakened Obama Plans 'Compromise' with GOP-Controlled Senate

The votes are not yet in, but many in the White House see the writing on the wall and are preparing possible compromises with Republicans as they are expected to take control of the Senate and gain seats in the House on Tuesday, The New York Times reports.

Some of those possible deals include expanding trade, overhauling corporate taxes and working on the country's crumbling roads and bridges. Other areas cited by administration officials include cybersecurity, energy, sentencing guidelines and surveillance, the Times reported.

But President Barack Obama still may use his executive powers to move ahead key Democratic issues such as climate change, immigration, energy, gay rights and economic issues, the paper noted.

Specifically, Obama is expected to announce new rules soon after Election Day that would make it easier for illegal immigrants to remain in the country legally. Republicans call that "amnesty," and such a move could hurt Obama's negotiating position on other issues.

Staff changes also are expected, most notably presidential counselor John Podesta. Despite requests to stay, Podesta is expected to leave after the state of the union address to head up the presidential campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod told the Times that the president should move past the divisions he had with Congress this past year and be prepared to make a new start with the incoming class.

"I really think he has to feel out what there’s a willingness to do," Axelrod said. "What he can’t do and won’t do is put his feet up on the desk and cross days off the calendar."

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